Terrorists abduct 25 Church worshippers in Katsina

•Police confirm five abducted
•Leaders haven’t done enough, says HURIWA

Daredevil terrorists on Sunday morning abducted no fewer than 25 worshippers after they attacked a local church known as New Life for All Church, in Kankara Local Government Area of Katsina State.

The incident occurred at Jan-Tsauni, Gidan Haruna community, at about 7a.m., when the worshippers had just gathered to commence the day’s service.

Reverend Ishaya Jarau, the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the state governor, made this known to newsmen on Sunday afternoon.

Jarau said the terrorists “abducted 25 worshippers and left the church pastor with injuries while they were conducting service this morning.”

He, however, added that nine of the abducted persons were able to escape from the hands of the terrorists, and had returned to the community.

He added that following the incident, security personnel in the state had doubled effort to seek the release of the rest abducted victims.

Confirming the incident, spokesperson for the Police Command in the state, SP Gambo Isah said the pastor of the church was shot and wounded during the attack.

Isah said that only five persons were abducted, and he gave their names to include Rabi Isiaku,15; Rabi Saidu,36; Rabi Baba,49; Nooseba Shuaibu,13 and Saratu Hadi, 27, all females.

‘’The terrorists stormed the church in large numbers at 7a.m., and abducted five worshippers who were all women. They shot and wounded the pastor, identified as Pastor Haruna. They did not go away with him, but they abducted the women,” he said.

Reacting, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has tasked leaders to speak out and adopt effective steps, including boycotting all consultative meetings to compel the Federal Government to check increasing waves of targeted attacks.

On the recent attacks on residence of the Catholic Bishop of Paikoro and Paul Catholic Church in Paikoro local council, Niger State, abduction of the Parish Priest of Saint George Catholic Church Omu Ekiti in Oye local council of Ekiti State, Reverend Father Michael Oloinlade, the invasion and subsequent abduction of worshippers at the New Life for all Church in Kankara local council of Katsina State on Sunday morning, HURIWA classified the serial attacks as coordinated attacks.

It expressed disappointment with the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria and other bodies for over indulging the Federal Government even in the face of deliberate failure to crush the terrorists who for the past seven years have specifically targeted certain faith.

The group condemned these attacks and killings of members and Priests. It also recalled that the Police Command in Niger State North Central Nigeria, has confirmed the attack on the residence of the Catholic Bishop of Paikoro, Rev. Father Isaac Achi of St. Peters and Paul Catholic Church, in Paikoro local council of the State.

A statement by spokesperson of Police, Niger State, DSP Wasiu Abiodun, had said armed bandits invaded the Parish residence of the Rev. Father and set the house ablaze, which consumed the Rev Father.

Abiodun said a colleague of the Rev. Father, Father Collins, was equally shot on the shoulder while trying to escape from the scene.

He said the lifeless body of Father Isaac was recovered while Father Collins was rushed to the hospital for treatment when the Police tactical teams attached to Kaffin-Koro Division stormed the scene.